We'll See
by Moonsetta
Summary: Sequel to It's Not OK. What of Malkin's fate?-"That Is Not Dead Which Can Eternal Lie And With Strange Eons Even Death May Die"  The Nightwatcher is condemned for murdering April O'Neil. Where's Leo? It's Christmas. Pairing Casey JonesXRobyn O'Neil.
1. Prologue

Thunder shook the windows of the old farmhouse that time had forgotten, while lightning flashed across its windowed eyes. The fire place burned bright against the dark air surrounding it and a lone figure sat in the corner, a book in his lap though he could hardly see the words on either of the open pages with the little light that the burning wood gave off.

_Creak._

Casey glanced up as a splash of red entered his vision, "Hey Raph? The others ok?"

The red banded turtle stepped into the light, the flames throwing shadows across his dark green skin, "Yeah, everyone's good. Leo's meditating so he may as well be asleep, what a boring roommate."

Raph's golden eyes lingered over the remainder of the burnt skin that decorated a scar on the left side of his best human friend's face and shuddered away the memories. He forced his eyes to look to the side but then his breath slightly caught as he spotted the figure laying on the ragged couch they had set up a few weeks ago.

"Our patient doing well?" Raph asked, walking over to the sleeping figure.

Casey followed his turtle friend's line of sight and smiled, "Yeah. Just fine."

This was one thing that Raph found hard. It was like he had to gather all his pride, which was easy, and then balance it all on a pedestal 30,000 feet in the air that was as thick as a single sewing needle. Needless to say, before he could even reach out, he found himself back on the stairs and already half way up.

He hesitated for a second, and gave in. He turned and looked back at the woman on the couch, her hair red, matching the fire's flames and he knew her green eyes, he had seen them so many times before.

"April," he whispered, before turning away and climbing the stairs again.

He passed a second floor window when his eyes caught something outside. Oh, it was just a squirrel. Thank goodness. They had already run away from New York because of the Foot and now they were one brother short…

The red clad turtle shook his head, ridding his mind of the image of the exploding fire that had once been their home and his little brother's scream…

He closed his eyes and didn't open them again until he was back inside his room.

Unbeknownst to them, outside, in the back of the pick-up truck that Casey had drove out there, another familiar red masked being grinned in the dim moonlight, his red mask dripped with droplets of blue and an orange mask curled around his fist.

One down…three to kill.

Well Malkin, we'll see.

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><p>Just yet another story to add to the Lasting series, which is what I'm affectionately calling the connected tales of "You Have No Idea," "It's Not OK," and this new one I deem "We'll See"<p>

So, the story will start in June of this year. I'm not going to jump right into it.

As always-Read and Review!

~Moonsetta


	2. Chapter 1 No More

Well, here it is everyone. We'll See, the third installment in the Lasting Series. Hope you enjoy it and I'm sorry for those wanting the romance now, I don't like the idea myself but it just fit in this story so be patient with me, please? The romance is a long way away.

Read please!

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><p>Chapter 1-No More<p>

"That's enough Don, go to bed!"

In response, the purple masked turtle glared a matching heated look at his red banded brother, who had just knocked his coffee cup to the floor. The brown and black liquid was all over the floor and his hand.

His hand was also burning.

"Go. To. Bed. Donatello. NOW."

With a strait lined mouth and no other movement of his head or face, the genius turtle turned and walked, well, more like. dragged, his feet, out of the kitchen, through the main room and into his lab. Raph shook his head as he observed his brother through his walk across their home, good thing he had thrown out all the caffeine tablets Don had had stashed away in his lab, given the genius turtle hadn't be in his _actual _room for about two weeks.

With a knot his throat, a pound of lead in his stomach and the air of a elderly army general well over retiring age in field combat, Raph made his way past their dull orange couch, which they had just recently required, where Mikey was engaged in a video game, and forced his legs to keep moving until he was staring up at his own ceiling. Safe, in his own hammock.

Outside, blue eyes stared at the closed door solemnly. Mikey got up and turned off his game and the television. He needed to think of a way top distract Raph and Don while Leo was gone, again.

That last thought made Mikey frown but the youngest turtle quickly shook it off. His eyes landed on the phone and a smile lit his face. Maybe their favorite pizza and-

Inspired by his thoughts Mikey raced to the phone and quickly dialed in a familiar number.

"Hello?"

"Professor Perry!" Mikey cheered.

"Is something wrong?" the professor asked, fully aware that the last time Michelangelo called it had been to set up a way to save his brother's life, given that that brother had been dieing.

"Uh, a little," Mikey said and then explained, "Well since April, you know, uh went away, Raph and Don have been kind of down lately."

"I take it that's an understatement."

The turtle sighed, "Listen, Raph's missing her because, well, because he was the one who originally saved her from the Foot AND brought her to meet us so it's effected him personally and Don well, given they were both pretty dang smart-"

"Michelangelo I am a professor, not a psychologist."

"I know but I just thought that if Don had someone to talk to-uh let me get to the point. Would you like to come over for pizza?"

"Michelangelo I-"

"Please?"

The turtle had spoken so innocently, like a mere child that Professor Perry found himself accepting the invitation and well-it looked like a better enjoyment of time rather than the paperwork overflowing on his desk. So with a shove of the papers, the professor rose from his desk and made his way out his door.

Elated that everything was working Mikey put the phone down and thought momentarily before scooping up the receiver again and dialing out another number. Normally to cheer Raph up, he would've invited Casey over, but the man had enough problems right now plus, Mikey doubted that the guy was out of the hospital yet. It had been two weeks and there had been so many problems for their human friends, to clear up problems and invent lies to get the police off of their backs.

"Hello?"

Sweeping away his troubling thoughts Mikey smiled, "Hey Keno, still delivering?"

"Ah, Mikey? What kind of pizza now?"

"The usual."

"You guys still eat that much?"

"Yep."

"Anything else Mikey?"

"Uh yeah," now nervous since he hadn't actually talked to Keno in some time, Mikey twisted the cord of the phone around his finger to backpedal confusion, "Is there anyway you could maybe stay and bring that new motorcycle you just got?"

"Why exactly?"

"Listen, Raph's pretty tore up about April so…" Mikey trailed off, leaving Keno to finish the sentence in his head.

"Oh, I see."

Cue uncomfortable silence.

"Is Leo back yet?"

The orange banded turtle's shoulders slumped, "No and the funeral's tomorrow."

"Why did they wait so long?"

Mikey scrunched up his eyes to make the world appear blurry for a short second before rubbing his eyes in an irritated fashion, "Something about a family member being held up in California. I don't really know."

"Ok, I'll be right on over."

"Thanks Keno, you're the best."

With a relieved air Mikey set down the phone receiver and made his way to Donatello's room.

_Knock. Knock._

"What is it Mikey?"

"I ordered pizza for dinner. Keno's bringing it."

"Hm."

Silence.

"Professor Perry's coming over too."

"What?"

The door opened, revealing the lopsided masked turtle which Mikey had to point at and laugh. Don huffed and straitened his mask.

When that job was done the youngest reached out and took his older brother's hand before dragging him out of his lab, "Go on and get to the kitchen, I already started your coffee."

With a pathetic and sad smile Don trudged towards the kitchen, the light was flickering again. Something else to fix in his spare time, which he had had too much of lately.

Satisfied that the job was half done Mikey beamed in true happiness and made his way to Raph's room where he gulped and lightly tapped his knuckles against the door.

"If you're Don go to bed. If you're Mikey leave me alone and if you're Leo-"

Silence.

"Just stay the hell away from me."

Mikey took a deep breath and rolled his eyes towards the ceiling before letting himself in. Despite the threats that Raph had hidden in his words, there was nothing hurtful for the orange clad turtle when he stepped inside. Well, nothing physically damaging anyways. Raph was now, instead of staring at the ceiling, was scanning a newspaper he had with his eyes in the semi-darkness of his quaint room. When he looked over and saw Mikey he balled up the newspaper and threw it across the room where it bounced off of the wall and rolled across the floor until it came to a stop at the youngest one's feet. Scooping it up and spreading it out Mikey read the bolded headlines and titles with frowns.

_Criminal Enforcers In the Jungles of Central America to Stand Trial in Washington DC._

_Criminals Being Held at New York City Trigatel Prison_

_Black Wolves Prisoners Freed and Being Returned to Families and Adopted by NY Families_

_The Black Wolves and their Freed Prisoners Speaking of The Ghost of the Jungle: Monster vs. Savior?_

_New York Citizen April O'Neil Murdered By Once Proclaimed Hero…THE NIGHTWATCHER!_

"No good freaking reporters. That's a lie!"

Mikey let the newspaper drop to the floor before walking over and sitting on the edge of his brother's hammock.

"They're all calling me a murderer," Raph muttered, switching his gaze back to the ceiling, "I didn't do anything."

"Look Raph, so some idiot out there made the connection to photos of the Nightwatcher here. The public won't believe it forever. There's a lot of people sticking up for you."

"Yeah, the government's going to listen to a group of six-year-old children," Raph muttered darkly.

Mikey experienced a second uncomfortable silence then and there.

"Come on, Keno's coming over with pizza and his new motorcycle you wanted to see."

It wasn't truly that much of a temptation but when Raph opened his eyes, and met Mikey's innocent blue stare, he gave in with a belated sigh, "Ok."

"Great!" Mikey cheered and dragged Raph out of the room.

Just as they entered the kitchen there was a knocking at their door, which had been cleverly disguised as a part of the wall outside in the sewer. Mikey sped to the door lifted it open and in walked Keno, his hands piled high with pizza.

"Dude where's your motorcycle?" Mikey asked, looking into the tunnel behind him.

Keno rolled his eyes, "I can't carry motorcycle down here Mr. Super Turtle Strength."

"Oh yeah."

Keno chuckled and made his way to the kitchen stopping momentarily when he saw that both Don and Raph had their faces buried in paper, reading.

"Hey guys."

"Hi Keno, "Don said, before staring across at Raph who set down the single piece of paper he was reading but didn't offer a greeting. The red banded turtle's eyes drifted to a stack of paper at the corner of their table.

"So, how's Casey doing?"

Raph swept the letter he had been reading aside, "It's just like his last letter."

Silence.

"Well," Keno started, opening up one of the boxes of pizza, "I brought-"

"Are you sure there's nothing Don?"

Don shuffled through the envelopes on the corner of the table halfheartedly, "No."

Mikey came in behind Keno and pulled the boy back along with the pizzas, he was sensing something, something bad.

Raph's voice was uncharacteristically quiet when he spoke, but given their latest adventure and everything that was happening, no one could really blame him,.

"Come on Don, there's gotta be something."

"No. For the last time Raph, Leo hasn't sent anything. He left that note here two weeks ago and hasn't sent word yet."

For Donatello, something was boiling beneath his skin. Raphael just felt empty, where he was usually lead by his emotions and acted on them immediately, he just felt nothing now. For some unexplainable reason, he couldn't seem to get angry, no matter what he did or what he tried. Michelangelo was trying his best to make everyone happy, a big sacrifice on his part, given he had only recently realized that he hadn't slept in two days.

Don glared at the note that was still on the counter, being held down by the eldest's favorite tea cup, where it had stayed for the past two weeks since their return home. They had searched all of New York City the first day and the genius turtle berated himself for not having some way to track down their sensei, who had disappeared when they had returned home from Central America.

Leo was gone. Again. All over again.

"Come on dudes, let's forget everything for one night and have some pizza," Mikey suggested, breaking up any argument that could follow.

Knocks followed again and Mikey rushed to let in Professor Perry.

The night was a normal one and the turtles acted normal, but only for each other's comfort and their mental stability. Raph saw Keno's new bike since the kid had finally gotten enough to buy one and he had started a savings account for a place he wanted to get in the city. Which Raph, just to keep up the image, stated was the best decision one of them 'humans' ever made.

Don and Professor Perry talked late into the night about experiments, one chemical experiment, which they attempted, actually exploded in their faces and made them laugh.

Around midnight Mikey was still sitting up on the orange couch, which he thought was perfect for their home, the orange color blending in nice with the shaded stones, and glowing lights from all the electronics and it was a nice contrast to the blue rug by the door-

Mikey stopped his thoughts with a frown. Ok, so Leo had left. The letter had said, to find Splinter. That was good right? But why didn't they all go? Did Leo not trust them anymore?

Or was it that…?

Possibly. Momentarily, Leo had blamed himself for all of their injuries, including April's death, when they had just got back but he Don and Raph had dispelled those feelings immediately. Or maybe they hadn't…

Who was to say?

The youngest ninja paused his Mario game and leaned his head back to stare at the dark ceiling, trying to not think too hard

It wasn't until a hand landed on his shoulder that Mikey came out of his mind. He looked to see the old smirking Raph there.

"What are you still doing up? Mikey asked.

Raph's smirk fell into a frown, "Shouldn't I be asking you that?"

Mikey smiled weekly and set the controller he was holding on the coffee table in front of him.

"Don's convinced that Leo's not coming back, right?"

Raph was quick with reassurance, "He'll be back. He better be back, because this time sensei ain't here to stop me from going after him and dragging his shell back home if I have to."

"Wanna play?" Mikey asked, offering a second controller to the red masked turtle.

"Sure," Raph said with a shrug.

If he could get lost in the game, he could get his mind off of all the thoughts tumbling around inside his head.

* * *

><p>For the one in California, the news had come late. Bags were thrown together, then forgotten. One could buy more in New York City.<p>

The plane left early, then returned for passengers. Tickets and passports were scanned hurriedly, and the flight was too long.

Inside that plane, 30,000feet in the air, green eyes looked down. It wasn't possible.

This one's face stared back from the paper as the fine print was magnified and read. It wasn't possible.

The obituary for April O'Neil

* * *

><p>Finally, I'm getting started. And surprisingly, I LIKE writing this one. You Have No Idea and It's Not OK I just can't stand but I love writing this!<p>

Anyways, to summarize it:

Leo left as soon as their search for Splinter in NYC proved fruitless but hasn't sent any word of his location, bringing old feelings of betrayal to the surface.

Casey's undergoing treatment at the hospital.

April is still dead.

Thanks to a random examination of the chain used to strangle April, the Nightwatcher has been deemed a murderer.

Raph is uncharacteristically feeling nothing, something he's not quite used to.

Mikey is trying his best to make everyone smile, and is, for the moment, happily succeeding.

Don's lost all hope of pretty much everything, Leo's gone and he doesn't want a repeat of what had happened before, April, their older sister and his, at one time, crush, is now dead, their father is gone. He's adopted Raph's anger far too easily.

So plain and simple, none of this is too good at the moment. Now in the next chapter, it'll be really short, but you'll find out who our mysterious person from California is.

Who do you think it is?

_On the ground, the burned remains of the laboratory shifted and a dark green hand peeked out, it's three fingers wrapped around an orange mask._

_Unlike the dead flames…this continued to burn…_

_REVENGE._

Is this a clue? Or am I leading you on?

Please review?

Or I'll get depressed and cry. T_T

~Moonsetta


	3. Chapter2 Another Night NOT in California

Chapter 2 here we come!

Warning: This is a short chapter revealing a brand new character to my writing. NO OC! Don't even think I'm that stupid to stick a random character in here as of now. The character I'm putting into this story is indeed an actual character from a TMNT universe.

The only problem is that this character is from the 2K3 series while I've attempted to base this story of the movie-verse(s) It took me awhile to decide if I should put this character in but I decided to just go with my gut. So here's the chapter.

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><p>Chapter 2 Another Night NOT in California<p>

The news had come too late for the green eyed one. Tanned skin hurriedly grabbed closed and tossed them into bags, a newspaper clipping held tightly in the being's hand, as if the small print would keep her from drowning in an invisible sea. Rushed footsteps hurried out of the cramped apartment and the bags laid as still life on the red bed spread, at a loss of what to do.

Everything went wrong afterwards. The plane had taken off early and left over half of its scheduled passengers at the airport. The ticket had to be bribed from another passenger to get to NYC.

30,000 feet above the ground, and the heart was skidding across the pavements of the road below What else could one do.

The ride wasn't relaxing, the food had gone bad, the bathroom lights blew, someone had answered a phone call from someone that caused momentarily panic.

_Ring. Ring._

"Hi Jack"

The trip took an extra three hours but NYC came into view and then green eyes continued to stare as they met the back of the cab driver's seat, and then the brick building of the funeral home. It was hours before service but the doors were thrown open despite the 'Do Not Enter' sign. Panicked feet rushed passed the servicemen and to the casket that lay closed. Shaking hands lifted it and dropped it back in shock.

It was really true.

Tears and sobs had the floor stained with salt water in a matter of seconds.

"Excuse me, the service is not yet open."

"What happened?" the quiet voice asked as a head with red hair rose and green eyes stared up at the man dressed in the suit.

He suit dressed man frowned and knelt down to help the helpless one up, "Who are you? Do-Uh did you know April O'Neil?"

A rushed nod from frizzy haired red hair.

The man/guard tried to pull the sobbing one towards the still busted open doorway but there no moving anywhere near the double heavy wooden doors.

A sigh from the suited man, "What is your name mam?"

A sob, "Robyn."

A pause.

"Robyn O'Neil…"

"What happened to my sister?"

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><p>Yes, if you recall it from the 2K3 series, you'll remember April's sister, Robyn, who was visiting from California which, through chains of events, sent April and Don into a different dimension where she found her lost Uncle.<p>

Ah…memories of TMNT. I miss the 2k3 series.

Well, that's chapter 2. See you all soon in chapter three.

~Moonsetta


	4. Chapter 3 Never Need Me

Wow Truth Seeker, I can always count on a well thought out review from you, huh? The way you talk kind of reminds me of my old English teacher, best teacher I ever had.

More begging about Mikey's upcoming death? Aw man, and I thought I had kept it sooooooo, discretely hidden. (Heh….heh.) JK. Or am I?

Darker chapters? Ok, I'll work on making it darker at points, that's fine by me, as long as you're enjoying the story. ^_^

So, read and review your stories? Sure, but I searched under the username and it said that nothing was found. If you could get me a link I'll be happy to read them.

Well, here's chapter 3. Enjoy! And please review!

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><p>Chapter 3-Never Need Me<p>

Raph was surprised when he looked up to find his baby brother asleep, leaning against him in a cute manner that would put all worldly teddy bears to shame. He allowed a small smile to spread across his face slowly as he shifted slightly, lowering the youngest turtle onto the couch and then getting up to turn off the game. He disappeared upstairs for only a second, coming back with a blanket, which he used to cover Mikey from the chill that was creeping into the lair from the above city streets, given that frost had begun it's conquest of the warmest parts of the city with promises of a harsh December stream of winter. He reminded himself to turn off the TV, the blue screen was kind of getting to his eyes, but it made the dark circles under Mikey's eyes clearly visible.

Needless to say, it shocked the red banded turtle into submission as he removed Mikey's mask. He set the orange cloth aside and tucked the little one in. Thank goodness Don was asleep and no one else was around. The big brother couldn't help but worry about the youngest of their group. With internal promises to let the orange banded turtle sleep in the next few days, Raph disappeared back upstairs, stopping when he walked passed his older brother's room.

He should go in, maybe Leo had left a clue to where he had gone.

No.

Leo would be back on his own. In the letter he had said that if he hadn't found anything he would return in two months. He had to believe that statement, no matter how much he wanted to track down his big brother and pummel him until he understood that he just couldn't up and leave them again!

"No. Go to bed Raph," he ordered himself, already pulling off his red mask.

He rubbed the cloth between his fingers, feeling the difference of his mask compared to the material he remembered, of Mikey's new mask as he made his way to his room. Since Mikey had lost his in Central America, the orange banded turtle had made a new one, one of a strong cloth that Don had recently developed. Something to do with withstanding radiation.

…

…

…

"Whatever," Raph mumbled at his own thoughts before he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

The TV. He'd forgotten to turn it off! Annoying blue light! So with a long drawn out sigh, he slumped back into the living room, padding quietly to the glowing box and quickly turning the knob that worked as the ancient thing's power button. Why Don insisted that they keep the old thing he would never know.

Raph turned to go back to his room and then stopped yet again when he realized that he was NOT tired. With another sigh he slipped outside the main door, convinced by the heavy mumbling, that his younger brother was completely out of it. When the air around him was absent of sound, even the sound the rats made when they were scavenging for food had vanished, his foot let out a splash while he made his way through the murky waters of NYC's sewer system.

When he was a few meters from the nearest manhole he began hearing tunes of "Jingle Bells" and "Silent Night".

Yeah, Christmas was in three weeks. Some freaking Christmas present he'd been given!

He pushed the cover of the manhole aside, quickly replacing it before jumping onto a fire escape of a nearby building. He ran, missing the feel of three others running with him, or the minimal protection the Nightwatcher suit had given him so long ago. He stopped at a building that had a roof cleverly hidden by the shadows of the surrounding buildings. He wondered why a such a small home was sitting in the middle of the city, sandwiched in between two skyscrapers on each of its sides. He sighed yet again and took it off of his mind in favor of turning his head to stare across the street at a quaint store, where some worker had placed a boom box outside the door, which of course was wide open with a warm light dancing out onto the sidewalk. It was some worker's attempt to attract more customers and maybe get a raise or a bigger Christmas bonus. As frightening as it was to be discovered by humans in mass numbers, Raphael was tempted to disappear with the people on the sidewalk right into the light of that tiny town themed store.

It looked warm and welcoming. The snow was cold, wet, and unforgiving.

Self reprimands that began spouting off randomly inside his mind disregarded the idea though, and begged him to turn back home where he was needed.

Raph's eyes narrowed at the thought. Where he was needed? What about what he needed? Growling and pacing the rooftop of the quaint house, his thoughts doubled over on themselves.

What he _needed _was his family. He grew sullen again. He could get angry all he wanted right now, but he was trying to use what he had learned.

"Ha, ha," he muttered before thinking, "Bet the others would collapse in laughter if I told them that."

The single thought made an old and welcoming smirk cross his face before he glanced at the shine of a distant shooting star. He was supposed to make a wish, right?

"Fine," he breathed as if a dozen little children had been annoying the heck out of him by poking him with sticks until he agreed to actually make a wish.

"All I want for Christmas is my family," he thought and then paused in his thoughts before he continued, "…happy."

Angry again, Raph turned and punched one of the skyscraper walls. He had so many emotions rolling around in his head, he didn't know what the shell to do with them all! He calmed himself for a moment before the boom box on the other side of the street below changed to another song.

_When you wish upon a star_

_Makes no difference who you are_

_Anything your heart desires_

_Will come to you_

Alright he was going to smash that thing if someone didn't-

His rage was cut short when the song was switched by a passing man dressed up in a Santa suit. Thank you Jolly One.

Tired because of the cold, Raph sat down on the darkest corner of the rooftop, the only corner that was devoid of snow, and closed his eyes, letting the wordless harmony of the boom box's song drift around him, as if the intangible floating notes were scared to actually touch him. Lyrics came, but he let them flow around him in the same way as the sounds behind the words.

_The cold wind is blowin' and the streets are getting dark_

_I'm writing you a letter and I don't know where to start_

_The bells will be ringing Saint John the Divine_

_I get a little lonely every year around this time_

Stupid people. They didn't know anything about being lonely. When they were half dead and dragging themselves ten miles home through murky sewer water night after night after saving every freaking coward on the street, with a family they had always depended on that wouldn't lift a finger to help them, THEN they could complain to him.

The unmasked turtle clenched his hand around his red mask, which he hadn't bothered to even put back on when he went out. He momentarily missed the familiar and comfortable weight of the Nightwatcher helmet but he wouldn't put it back on, even if he DID still have it. But no. He had burned the leather and melted the metal, which had been given to Don for his projects.

_The music plays all night in Little Italy_

_The lights will be going up on old Rockefella's tree_

_People window shopping on Fifth Avenue_

_All I want for Christmas is you_

Well, people probably were shopping on Fifth Avenue, everyone, everywhere, was shopping. Below, a young boy was begging his mother for a power ranger action figure. A Ninja Storm Power Ranger action figure. (A/N: Because you know that is crucial information) Wow. What were they going to come up next for that colorful group and now that Raph thought about it, why had there never been a green or black girl Power Ranger? They had watched that show all the time as kids. He remembered a red girl ranger once, or did he? It had been quite some years.

_(Tell me) I've got to know_

_Where do lonely hearts go_

_Because nobody ought to be all alone on Christmas_

The mother below gave in and nodded as the boy reached for the stack of boxed up action figurines, grabbing both the red and blue, much the displeasure of his mother as her purse grew very light at the checkout of the small store.

Stupid blue ranger reminded him of Leo.

_Things are different since you've been here last_

_Childhood dreaming is a thing of the past_

_Maybe you can bring us some hope this year_

_Visions of sugar plums have disappeared_

What were sugar plums anyways? Did they actually exist? Raph was sure he had never seen one, much less eaten one to know they were sweet to begin with.

When the chorus began to repeat itself again Raph huffed and jumped back down into the alley where he quickly ducked back into the sewers.

Christmas. His brothers hadn't mentioned it. They had bigger problems on their minds.

Raph desperately needed a distraction. What pissed him off the most was feeling one emotion for a moment and then another the next moment with no outlet for the dramatics. Fighting crime was out of the question for now. Police numbers were high since it was nearing the holidays and the Nightwatcher wasn't exactly welcome any longer on the NYC streets.

No outlet in sight. Then emotion leveled out and Raph could breathe again. He heard a scream in the distance, sounded like two kids fighting about a toy that they both wanted before they shouted for their parents.

Family.

"_Home is where we're all together as a family."_

Leo had said that to him once. Raph let his mind empty out as he walked down the sewer tunnel, humming that last annoying Christmas song he had heard, under his breath, very discretely.

A chilling wind passed through the upper tunnels and Raph shivered. For the rest of the walk home, he wondered where Leo was and worried about if his big brother was lost out there and if he was cold.

Was he missing them?

* * *

><p>He had gone to bed. He had. He just couldn't sleep, which was unusual, since he found most his once sleepless nights were actually comforted by meaningful dreams of reality that was far gone and in the past.<p>

"Shouldn't you be in bed?" a rough voice asked from the doorway.

Don glanced up from where he had been staring into a frozen cup of coffee for a good twenty minutes watching the ice slowly melt into water and raise the thinning caffeinated liquid closer to the top, and spotted his red banded brother leaning against the kitchen doorway.

He spotted Mikey, still asleep on the living room couch in the background, before he motioned for Raphael to join him at the wooden thing they called their kitchen table. Reluctantly, Raph did as he was asked. He folded his arms and glared at his purple banded brother as the said turtle looked up at the slightly taller turtle with a certain spark to his eyes.

"What is it?" Raph asked, his voice deeper than usual.

Don turned around, reached for something on the counter and then turned to his brother with a sullen smile.

"I went to go to the dump and I found this when I stopped by Ap-" he struggled with the word, "Ap, uh, HER, apartment."

It was true that if they received any mail, they used April's address so they could pick up the letter/package there.

Before the hotheaded turtle could even glance at the object in his brother's hands he sneered at said brother, "You said you wouldn't go there any more."

Don growled under his breath and threw the folded paper he had in his hand at Raph's face, who caught it with ease. As quickly as his genius brother had seemed to return, he was gone again, locking himself away in his lab, where he was free from normal prejudice to grumble under his breath.

The red banded turtle then looked at the paper in his hand. It was folded into three sections and he picked up the slight after stain smell of ink. He opened up the bottom third first, to view the name of the sender. The relevance hit him like a 2 X 4 across his face. A 2 X 4 that didn't care to break and leave slivers and splinters of wood behind.

_=Leo=_

Raph's jaw dropped and he threw back the other section, letting his eyes scan the short letter.

_I'm sending this letter to let you know of my whereabouts. I assumed Don is still making constant stops at April's place, so I inferred that her…home, would be the best place to send this letter. I wish I knew how things were going, but I'm probably just worrying my head off for nothing. You're all more than capable of being on your own._

"If only you knew," Raph thought, before he realized that him clenching his fists had lead to creasing lines on the paper obscuring the words.

He quickly set the paper down on the table he was sitting at and smoothed out the faulty lines before he growled under his breath at the last statement he had read.

"Shell, bro? What is it about you that keeps this family together?"

True, they could survive individually, but it was difficult to stay a team and a family when no one everyone accepted was barking out orders to them so they could have some kind of plan to handle, not only battles, but reality. Don was reclusive, barely coming out of his lab and here Mikey was, completely unconscious on the living room couch while he sported dark circles under his eyes that spoke of simply too many sleepless night.

And Raph?

Well, it wasn't fair for Raphael to analyze himself.

With the paper smoothed out once again, Raph continued reading.

_Well, for the important news. I found our father but-_

The line ended there as Raph picked up the letter again, his desperate eyes searching for some kind of string of hope that he could grasp and find his way back to himself.

_I won't lie. He'll be lucky to make it back to New York City. He hasn't spoken since I found him and will give me no explanation. All I can do is bring what remains of his spirit home. He's alive, but I worry._

_Our boat's scheduled to dock in the Northside harbor at 8:00pm on Friday. Meet us at the Water tower on 2nd__ and 9__th__. I'll be waiting._

_Oh, and as for myself, I'm fine, but there was trouble in Japan. I'll explain when we're all together once again._

_=Leo=_

Raph wasn't sure if he wanted to cross chop the table in half or run in, shake Mikey awake and tell him the good news. Reaching a compromise that was no where near the midpoint of either choice, he folded up the letter again before pressing the paper to his heart in a discrete attempt to show unregistered relief and trust that what the letter said was indeed true. He folded it up into smaller sections until he could close his fist around it and no longer see it. He let his arm drop to the side and glanced down when a splash of color caught his eye. He had dropped his mask on the ground. Knowing he couldn't just leave it there, Raph scooped it up and deemed that today had been enough. Leaving reality, he found himself curled up in his hammock, his eyes closing to memories.

* * *

><p>Inside the laboratory that belonged to the resident genius turtle, the said turtle was pacing around his room until his steely gaze landed on a stack of books on one of his desks. Without thought, he pushed the stack off, watching with a delicious, predatory manner as the literary scriptures fell through the air with the greatest of ease and fell onto the stone floor. The eight books all landed different ways, some on their front cover, some on their spine with random pages opened to the ceiling and some on the back cover, letting the words of classics and textbooks stare up at him in a sad and pleading manner.<p>

(A/N: *Cries* How dare you? Book murderer!)

He ignored them with an under-the-breath growl that would have impressed Raphael. He was angry, he was sorrowful, he was somewhat happy but what could he do?

The thought made Don slump in hopelessness. Nothing. He could do nothing as of now.

He had all these thoughts in his head. Why hadn't he gone back for April after Malkin had ambushed them in the Nightwatcher's suit? He should've realized that the man was too short to be Raphael under the silver, metal helmet. Of course he had been rather busy bringing another brother back from the dead after open heart surgery. Still, he wanted to shout to himself that it was no excuse, even though he knew that the one to blame was Dr. Malkin.

But if he hadn't gone after that life saving machine on his own then he wouldn't of been caught and taken to Central America and if Leo hadn't been captured during his training mission and the Black Wolves soldiers and-

Don stopped pacing when his stride went too far and he hit head against a hanging lamp on the far side of the room.

"Shell," he cursed under his breath and stumbled his way over to his computer chair that had been his bed for the past few weeks. A calendar reminder had filled the screen of the computer monitor. It was midnight so, since it was the next day, today was April's funeral. He didn't know what happened next, his eyes fell and his head dropped.

Donatello Hamato, was asleep.

* * *

><p>When their living room digital clock struck 3:00am, Mikey awoke with a start. He looked to the left and then to the right. Then left again and right again.<p>

He raised a hand to his head and let out a groan of pain, "Ok no more banana bread before bed."

He shifted and his eyes grew wide before they melted into something of long dead liveliness. A blanket, someone had covered him with a blanket. Believing that Don wouldn't be out of his lab for a few days more, he assumed it to be his red banded brother that had completed such a caring task.

He'd make cinnamon rolls this morning to celebrate. Thanks goodness that he had remembered to pick up some at the store the other day. Neither Raph nor Don had ever volunteered to go shopping since they returned to an empty home and fridge. The chef inspired turtle set out everything he could for a medium sized breakfast. They had to get ready for the funeral, so it wouldn't be wise to have a large breakfast. He doubted anyone would eat a large breakfast anyways.

As the tray of cinnamon rolls slid into the oven Mikey glanced up at the still slightly opened freezer. He must of left it open when he took out the French Toast. When he went close it he froze, and remembered that it was indeed now Winter in NYC. After closing the freezer he ducked under the sink and pulled out three thermoses. He would make some warm drinks for them to take with them.

He stretched, listening to his bones protest the movement. He would have to get back to stretching exercises, he couldn't be rusty when Leo got back. Chuckling to himself, he decided to check on the others, given it would take awhile for the oven to heat up to actually bake the cinnamon rolls, since the thing was older than their Master's Master. A quick stop by Raphael's room proved that the hotheaded turtle was having his once in a blue moon good dream. A smile darted across the youngest turtle's face as he quietly made his way away from his currently, unmasked, brother's room, debating about where to search for his purple masked brother.

Safe bet that he probably wasn't in his room, so, to the lab!

Mikey walked into the lab all bio-mechanics would be jealous of and found his genius brother asleep in his computer chair as always. He took a quiet and careful step forward.

And his shoulder hit a rack of metal objects, all crashed to the ground with loud booms and clanks and clatters.

He closed his eyes, sure a hidden sledgehammer would hit his skull in a matter of moments, but after a few seconds passed and no pain came upon his fragile body, Mikey reopened his eyes to see his brother still snoozing away the morning. Now he wasn't known as the strongest turtle, that title belonged to Raph, but that didn't stop him from hefting his brother onto his shell and carrying him to his rightful sleeping spot in his room.

If anyone's bed had the ability to develop withdrawal symptoms, it was this one.

Mikey set Don down and covered him with a gray colored blanket that was slightly dusty and then glanced around the room with a solemn look and frown. He personally ached for rooms that looked like they weren't lived in. Don's reflected that exact picture.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, however one would view it, Don began to awaken as soon as his head hit the soft surface that was his pillow. Maybe it was the dust that he inhaled or the fact that his head had gotten used to the hard surface of the wood of his work desk in his lab, or the keyboard of his computer. Either way, he was well on his way to consciousness.

"Mikey?"

He was shocked to see his little brother standing beside his bed.

"Wait a minute," he muttered, raising himself up on his elbows, "I didn't fall asleep here."

"I carried you here," Mikey said, kneeling down so the little light from the numerous electronics would highlight his smile that also formed duplicates in his blue eyes, clearly happier than they had ever been in the past few weeks.

"Today's the day," Don whispered with a sullen frown.

The younger turtle's shoulders slumped in defeat, but then rose again, "Well, if you're done sleeping, you can help me with breakfast."

Don forced his own slumped shoulders to rise, he would worry later, he couldn't deny the small request, "Ok Mikey."

Unfortunately, the moment that they walked into the kitchen and were surrounded by the flames, they only then realized that maybe making breakfast at 3:00am might not have been the BEST decision.

* * *

><p>I can not make this chapter any longer without having to skip April's funeral, which I don't want to do.<p>

And the songs heard from that boom box were:

When You Wish Upon A Star. Which has been redone by so many artists you can practically find it anywhere, but the oldest origin I can remember it from is the movie "Pinocchio."

All Alone on Christmas, by Darlene Love, featured in the movie, "Home Alone 2, Lost in New York."

I once again don't own TMNT. I'm glad I still have readers, despite my upcoming retirement. Don't worry I still have two major stories to write and my high school one to finish, though I wish people would give me more ocs for that story, I NEED MORE! I have a moderate amount of student ocs, but I need more teachers and staff. Although Karai is a great janitor, it's a difficult job to clean up after so many children.

Ocs unlimited people!

And then there's my Super Turtles story. I better update it tomorrow if I can.

Ok, now that that's out of my system I want to assure all of you of the last scene in this chapter, yes their kitchen is currently on fire.

Any questions? Fire away, I'll try to answer them.

Review please! I believe this story won't be too long. I'll estimate 6 chapters, but looking at my history of estimations, I'm probably way off.

~Moonsetta


	5. Chapter 4 Happy Holidays

Ok, a lot happens in this chapter and I warn you that it might be difficult to keep them all strait, so just bear with me for awhile.

I don't own TMNT. If I did I wouldn't be stupid enough to retire. If I did own them I would write until I was six feet under. Actually, that's not true, I would prefer cremation when I die, but that's beside the point.

Anyways…here we go. Hang on!

* * *

><p>Funerals were quiet affairs, and this one was no exception. Robyn had amazed herself by not crying a tear, which she partially blamed on yesterday's breakdown. Breaking the doors, which were now shut with duct tape, and then collapsing in front of a complete stranger. Being a moderator at the church he was probably used to such breakdowns from people but oh-it was so embarrassing!<p>

Robyn O'Neil swept a hand across her sister's, the temperature of the live and dead skin matching perfectly.

An attendee at the funeral mentioned the black circles under her eyes as she made her escape from the building, after being the first at the end of the session to view the unmoving body. She only knew that she wanted to get out of there as fast as possible. No, faster than that. Light speed!

For the Californian girl, New York City was as unfamiliar but perhaps it was her West Coast blood that had her migrate to the water, completely ignoring the shocked faces that were staring at her. The first dock had thousands of splinters sticking out of the boards, so she moved on to the next one she could see. The second one was built of soggy boards, they were as cold as frozen metal, like that one time she had left a ladle in her freezer, so she moved on. The third one though, was just right. It was only that she didn't like that she wasn't watching the sun set, it was setting behind her on the other side of NYC.

She sat, she did nothing more, just sat there in silence, contemplating the small amount of comfort that could come from some of New York's best restaurants, or the appeal of a watermelon snow cone and a fresh shot of lemonade.

Shot.

She got up and headed to the nearest, most crowded club, unknowing that a future meeting would change her life forever.

* * *

><p>"Where is he!" a voice yelled at the abandoned water tower on the corner of second and ninth.<p>

One could mistake it for Raphael but-

"Don, quiet down before someone hears you," Raph said with his under-the-breath-growl.

Don countered with his own growl he had invented, which contained the essence of a serpent hiss as well.

"He isn't coming," Don said with that same growl.

"He is," Raph said, more for the benefit of Mikey, who had fallen asleep by a nearby abandoned stack of old building materials that had been left on the rooftop for some undoubtedly, lazy, human reason.

"He isn't" Don repeated, gripping his bo so tight that his fingers had turned blue from the lack of blood.

Fearing this turning into one of 'those' matches, Raph crossed his arms, glared at his purple banded brother and turned away to stare at the path of buildings that lead away from the docks. Ignoring the further comments that Don was muttering the red banded turtle took a deep breath. He would control himself, that experience in the Central American jungle had taught him many things and he was keeping his anger under control, at least, he was for the time being.

"So what are you going to do when he shows up, try to beat his skull in again?" Raph spat, but never turned around to glance at Donatello.

"WHAT! You're accusing me of hurting him? You were the one that put your sai to his throat! Remember!"

Raph bit his lip and his shoulders tensed. He had to let it go. Had to let it go.

"YOU were the one who hurt him you jerk!"

"You better shut up Don."

"Why? Will you kill me too?"

This time Raph spun around and his hands went to his sais. Would he honestly draw them against another brother?

"Raphie? Donny?"

The red clad turtle looked over to his baby brother, who was sitting up and rubbing his eyes tiredly.

The look in those blue eyes made Raphael deflate. He'd deal with Donny later, or let Leo deal with him. He was better with this kind of thing anyways. Dark green hands fell away from the pointed sais and Raph risked one last glare at his bo staff wielding brother before making his way over towards Mikey.

"What is it bro?"

Mikey smiled, "Can we go get a tree tomorrow? I've got to have somewhere to put all the presents I got."

Despite everything, every little hell-bent thing that had happened to them and that was happening to them, Raph smiled, a true smile the others hadn't seen in awhile and nodded. Mikey returned the smile and patted the spot next to him, which Raph claimed instantly. After another hour and a check of the time, _8:58pm, _Mikey yawned and fell back into slumber. He had spent all day making, shopping and wrapping presents. He had a few special ones for each of his family members tonight, as early Christmas presents.

"Wake me when Leo gets here," the youngest requested and was granted his wish as he leaned against his red masked big brother and fell back into his slumber state, a smile on his face that wasn't forced.

_9:37pm_

"He isn't coming," Don said after that quiet almost half an hour.

"Well maybe the boat's late," Raph said with a shrug of his shoulders, careful not to make the move too sharp or he would wake Mikey, who was still sleeping like one those musical teddy bears he saw sitting in the small window of that warm shop.

Why they made something play jewelry box tunes while the thing looked asleep he would never know. Maybe it was one of those products that promised to put new born babies to sleep and the teddy bear was just cute so the new mother could squeal over its and the baby's cuteness.

Cute things. Ugh.

Despite the creepy thought, Raph had to admit that there was a happy sense settling itself on his shoulders, different from the stress that had masked him into a lone working vigilante the last time Leo had left. There was also a level of peace that Mikey had seemed to pull him up onto. Despite facing a brother dieing in front of his eyes, battles with cold blooded murders in Central America, the shock of seeing an evil doppelganger of himself, being deemed a murder, seeing a dead April and a burned beyond recognition best friend, a lost father, the freezing weather, and Leo leaving once again, he felt like this moment, rather it was bearing or truly happy, had the best air he had breathed in a long time.

10:00pm

"I'm going home," Don muttered, momentarily forgetting his anger and rubbing at his heavy eyelids in a child-like manner that rivaled Mikey.

He wasn't coming.

The truth, needless to say, hurt and Raph wasn't sure what happened next.

"Take Mikey," Raph muttered, scooping up his baby brother, who was completely dead to the world, (A/N: He's not really dead. Don't panic. At least…not yet.) and handing him off to his purple masked brother, who quickly made his way to nearest manhole, silently seething at the mess that waited for him at home.

Half of the kitchen was scrapped by black ash and melted metal. Plus, they hadn't been able to attend April's funeral since they were, you know, mutants. Since April O'Neil and witnessed the corruption by the Black Wolves down in Central America, armed, vigilant guards had protected the service from beginning to end. A lot of people in New York City had reported seeing some of the soldiers running around at night, despite police records assuring everyone that they were all safely in prison.

The anger in Donatello was something like the little kid in Kindergarten that got picked on. Anger like that was just the spark for such a flame to grow. If he could speak of it logically, Don would decree that he was more disappointed in everyone than he was angry at them. That is…if he could speak of it logically.

* * *

><p>Green fingers glided over the bricks of the dark alley and light breaths danced across the air. A metal door to the side of the alley creaked open. Red hair swept across sun tanned skin as the lone figure made its way away from the bright neon lights and loud music. People inside were scream-singing.<p>

A flinch.

He'd never understand natives.

Green eyes glided towards him and then away from him, after assuming that the extra large coat labeled him as one the streets' many homeless. Without another thought, Robyn made her way back to the nearby docks. There were too many sailors in there. A role model for many who were near her same path, she threw the bottle she had into the water.

She was better than that.

Slowly, deathly slowly, she made her way to the nearest hotel, but found that she would probably be more comfortable away from the docks.

Sailors. Honestly, over half of them were probably married.

Unfortunately, she had to cross the alleyway again that she had previously left. Unfortunately for her, he was waiting. As she paused to breath in the musty air of the city, a green hand reached out from behind her, and wrapped around her throat.

"I killed you. I'll kill you again."

Her green eyes widened as she lost her breath.

* * *

><p>You know what was annoying? Doctors.<p>

And you know what was even more annoying? ANNOYING DOCTORS!

These were the thoughts of Casey Jones as he stomped out of the hospital, two nurses in tow, one with an arm full of bandages, the other with a pillow.

"No more! I'm out of here!"

A twenty minute doctor visit? Ok, as long as there are no shots. A few hours in surgery? Tolerable. Simply because they put him to sleep for the operation. An overnight stay? Maybe, if there's good food. Day,? Only if he couldn't actually walk, or even crawl out the door.

Weeks? Unless he was paralyzed or in a coma, there was no way he was staying there. Those soldiers had played a part in April's death. There were already committees for hanging them publicly in town square. Where was the nearest one?

Of course, Casey didn't get that far. He had been going to the nearby club when he heard a muffled scream and a strip of red hair disappearing into the neighboring alleyway. He grabbed a green pole that had probably been knocked down for the stop sign that had previously been on it, and rushed into the alley. He saw a woman in the corner of the alley, screaming about a monster.

He Didn't take time to think. With his trademark cry of "Goongala!" he swung, unaware that the end of the pole was pointed.

Well, he did figure that out later when he would inspect the pole sometime in the future.

The coat covered figure, that had been knocked into the opposite brick wall, jumped back up quickly and shed the coat, revealing the startling whiteness of his _lab _coat.

"You!" Casey screamed and rushed the shell backed creature.

"Another time."

And he was gone.

"Th-thank you," the women stuttered, turning her head so the nearest street light caught the slight color of her eyes and hair.

Casey's jaw dropped. Red hair and green eyes. "April?"

The green eyes widened and the women stepped towards the end of the alleyway where Casey was standing, letting the streetlight wash over her, "You knew my sister?"

The hair was different and the eyes were a bit more soft than April's had been. It wasn't her.

"Who are you?" Casey asked, taking a step forward while dropping the metal pole.

"Robyn. Robyn O'Neil."

* * *

><p>"Frank, put that out before the captain sees. He's already tearing up everything in sight because we're a few hours late."<p>

The black haired sailor with the freckled face shrugged his shoulders at his crewmate and threw his cigarette into the water below. The bay water would easily put it out.

Unbeknownst to him, a recently abandoned but opened bottle of rum was slowly being pushed against the side of the boat by the small waves, its contents splashing onto the side of the large ship. The lit cigarette fell and the side of the boat caught fire.

(A/N: I actually had to research this situation to figure out if it was possible. It is, it's just difficult to get it to happen in the right place at the right time in the right way.)

* * *

><p>The dark green skinned mutant ninja turtle snuck his way across the rooftops silently. His stealth abilities had actually greatly improved in the past few weeks. An amazing accomplishment he wished someone would congratulate him for.<p>

But there was no time to dwell on those thoughts. Raphael pulled his backpack tighter against his shell Splinter wasn't here to stop him. He would go find Leo and drag him home by his mask even if he had to steal a spaceship from NASA. He had left a note and said goodbye to an enraged Donatello, although that could've been because of the kitchen mess that he was cleaning up. Mikey had woken up in time to give Raph a thermos with a rich tasting hot cocoa in it, and make him promise to bring their brother home. He had also, without anybody noticing, slipped Raph's early Christmas present into his brother's backpack when neither of his brothers were looking.

Besides those two things, there were a few pieces of medical supplies and a blanket in his small backpack. It would be more than enough. The hot cocoa, Mikey had said, was because that they only had enough coffee for one cup and Don NEEDED it. The hothead hadn't argued against the reasoning. Coffee people without their coffee were SCARY! It would inject more fear in any criminal than the Nightwatcher ever could.

Mikey had affectionately dubbed it Donatello's 'Crazed Bat-Glare.'

For a quiet moment on the rooftop, overlooking the bay and the row of boats, Raph bent down and took out the thermos of hot cocoa, drinking in the sweet taste. He wasn't normally one for sweet things, other than cookie dough, but it was sweet of Mikey to think of it, like he was taking care of them or something.

The flavor was rich, and Raph suspected that it was real chocolate and milk heated to perfection, other than the cheap paper packets one bought at the local market where you added water and popped it in the microwave for a whole minute. A large, looming boat appeared in the harbor and when it came closer, Raph noticed that thin ropes were being prepared for docking. They were probably dropping something off and then leaving immediately afterwards. Leo had mentioned Japan in his letter, and via the schedule he had gotten earlier, this one would be leaving for Japan after this stop.

It was a giant ship and that meant a lot of places to slip past security and to hide. The red banded turtle took a moment to look at the other boats. He still wanted to believe that Leo would hop off of one of them and keep his word. He HAD left a note this time. Raph felt a familiar growl form in the back of his throat but he swallowed it harshly, condemning it to the atmosphere's silence.

"Too bad Leo didn't mention the boat's name," he thought.

And that's when the incoming boat went up in flames. Courtesy of a bottle of brandy that had been randomly thrown into the bay.

* * *

><p>"This is madness!" Karai shouted as she was thrown back into a cell.<p>

"Not madness young one, takeover," a voice growled as the being stepped into the light.

Karai's eyes widened, "Raphael? No, wait you are not-"

"So the other one has a name? Don't worry child, I will return."

"Wait! Who are you?"

The door to cold, metal room, closed, leaving the once proud leader of the Foot clan in shame.

"Ah, I knew it was only a matter of time."

Karai spun around, her hand reaching for her sword, even though she knew that it wasn't there. If she could appear like she had a weapon then-

She froze when she recognized the man in the cell with her.

"Master Tatsu," Karai said in awe.

(A/N: I know theses are getting annoying but Tatsu is NOT an oc, he's real character in the first and second live action movies. He was the Shredder's second-in-command and overlooked the recruiting of new Foot ninja. Remember when Keno had to pass those tests to join the 'organization?' If you do remember, great, if not, go watch the first two live action movies.)

The last she had heard of her father's once second-in-command had been that he had returned to his hometown in Japan. She smiled and hugged him.

He had helped her father train her, often overseeing her training on his own since her father was always busy. He was like her uncle.

"What are you doing here?" she further inferred as she pulled back from the hug.

"Returning," his eyes shifted to the side as they often did, "See clan's progress."

Karai's face fell. Progress? The clan hadn't even stolen a candy bar since their 'Monster Wrangling' adventure.

Her father's businesses were difficult enough to keep up with.

"I assume we are completely encased in this room, if not this cage," Karai said solemnly, staring forlornly at the aluminum walls.

"You presume too much Karai," a voice spoke from the shadows.

The caged birds' heads turned to look outside the cage and their jaws dropped.

* * *

><p>Raph had wasted no time. Off went the backpack and down went the thermos, thankfully, it had been closed and had an air tight lock, keeping the warming drink inside. The dark green skinned turtle ignored the fact that this could get him caught by humans and began pulling the few struggling sailors who amazingly couldn't swim, (what kind of idiots let them be sailors if they couldn't swim?) to the edge of the bay and docks. When all panicking ones were at least close to shore, and they were at least panicking too much to see exactly <em>who <em>was pulling them to safety, Raphael quickly made his way out of the water, grabbed his backpack and the thermos and made his way down the bay, far from the incoming sirens and lights of the rescue squad, only to stop when he noticed a chain, probably from the rigging on the ship hot gotten tangled around his arm.

With a huff he threw it off and made his way further from the quickly expanding rescue force. He took another swig from the thermos, cursing when it burned his tongue slightly but releasing a relieved sigh when it warmed his freezing body. Swimming in winter? Not the best idea in the world, nor one of the smartest.

The lone turtle settled himself behind an old, recently used warehouse and clutched the thermos tightly to him, trying to warm himself back up. So much for his plan, the dock would have to be closed. The police were already putting up tape and radioing incoming ships to not dock. But there had to be another one nearby. He just had to travel a bit further. Who knows, maybe he could grab a plane to Japan. You know, slip into the luggage hold?

But then there was the problem of adjusting to the pressure change and speed as the aeration vehicle hit turbulence at 30,000 or so feet. Don could give a better explanation in his sleep.

Well, he had to try something. He had promised to find and bring their brother home and he was going to do just that. He pulled his backpack back up on his shell and started down the land boundary of the bay-

Then a flash of green from the water made him drop everything again. Unlike his normal attitude of rushing into situations, he could only watch with a look that was half hope and half fear as he watched something being turned in the semi dark water. The waves pushed the turning figure until the being was half laying on a sloping hill of mud and grass and half in the still moving water. Like a rubber band hitting him in the back of the head, Raph ran forward but then stopped when the figure turned its head towards him and opened its eyes.

At first, Raph took a step back, about to duck into the warehouse to avoid being seen, when the recognition hit him and he dove forward.

"Leo!"

The blue banded turtle raised himself up onto his arms as he began coughing out water as one hand appeared on his shoulder and another on his shell.

"Bro?"

If it had been any other word, the blue masked turtle would've jumped back into the water and taken cover from the one who had spotted him. He glanced up and his eyes widened.

"Raph?"

He would help him!

"You're freezing," Raph mumbled, throwing his stuff behind him next to the wall of the warehouse.

"No time," Leo muttered, throwing off the hand on his shoulder, "Master Splinter."

That was right, Leo had said in the letter that he had found their father.

"Where-"

But Raph didn't get to finish his question because his older brother dove right back into the bay after a few deep breaths on shore. He followed his brother's form until it disappeared underneath the burning ship, still stranded in the middle of the bay.

Another explosion rocked the ground and sent shock waves over the water as helicopters shined spotlights down on the water.

Now he was Raph. Leo and Don would probably be the ones to say that diving anywhere near a large ship that had deadly exploding capabilities was a bad idea, but if-

The dark green skinned turtle didn't get to finish the thought, he dove into the bay too. They had to find their father, if he was still on the boat-

Another explosion sent shivers of fear and horror running up his spine.

* * *

><p>Don huffed and leaned the broom he had been using against the wall. There were still some black scorches on the wall, but some chemicals should do away with them tomorrow. For now, he could take a break. Strangely, he felt his anger disappear. So it was true, working out did help relieve stress. Practice had been a no-no for the past few weeks, except Raphael's common occurrences with his punching bag.<p>

"Finally," Don said inside a breath before making his way to the kitchen table.

He stopped in his tracks when he spotted the present on the table, all wrapped up with green wrapping paper with little Dalmatians dotting it all over. An orange bow topped it off and Don felt himself smile.

_Mikey._

Don scooped it up and snuck into the living room before placing it on top of the TV. He quickly located his duffel bag, scooped it up and quietly snuck out of the lair.

It hadn't actually hit him until that present moment that it was getting closer to Christmas. He found the money he had stashed away and grinned. They needed a tree.

Given he would probably re-embrace that anger of his later, but it was just that little wrapped box had given him a reason to be happy. Ok, and a little brother had.

He was positive that he would be angry again tomorrow though. He thought that he better enjoy this while he could.

Unknowingly, he was about to be scared to death, for when he entered the above world in an abandoned alleyway, he hadn't been prepared for the shadows to melt around him and grab him.

* * *

><p>Okay, two chapters left and I know that was kind of an abrupt switch of Don's character but just remember, NEVER underestimate the power of little brothers!<p>

Please review! Only two chapters remain and "I Don't Know" doesn't come out until September and it will be my 100th and last story. My retirement story!

~Moonsetta


	6. Chapter 5 Four Corners of the World

Ok, time for the weird part. This HAD to have happened eventually, I just hate writing this, but it's needed to put Robyn in place for this series' final installment.

*Sigh* To think. It'll be my final TMNT story. Oh well, at least I'll still be around reading others' stories and writing other stuff in different fandoms. I'll be experimenting, seeing what works and what doesn't. Maybe I'll find another awesome fandom to write 100 stories about.

I would like some suggestions. What fandom do YOU guys want to see me write in? (If anyone says Ninja Turtles, guess what? IT WON'T COUNT!)

Here's the second to last chapter. I know, it's not a very long story.

I don't own TMNT.

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><p>Don awoke to smoke. Although, it wouldn't have been his first time in a burning building. After all, April's apartment had-<p>

At the thought of April, a bit of Don's heart chipped off and disintegrated into ash that would turn inside his stomach for days to come. Finally though, he actually found that the smoke he smelt was actually clearing his blurry vision. Of course, what he saw, was the last thing he EVER wanted to.

Karai, Tatsu and a good 50 Foot ninja. He jumped to his feet and grabbed his bo staff, whipping it out to defend himself, ignoring the simple fact that he probably should've been bound with rope of chains had they intended to harm him in any way. He sent forth his customized growl he had recently adopted and braced himself for an attack.

"Lower your weapon," Karai said, stepping forward.

"What do you want?" Don spat harshly.

"If you choose to believe it Donatello," Karai said slowly, bowing her head to him, "We require your family's assistance."

Don wasn't sure if his face showed disbelief or shock or a combination of the two or what?

"What for?" he asked, slowly lowering his bo staff but still remaining alert in case any of them suddenly leapt at him.

That's when a hand fell onto his left shoulder.

* * *

><p>"What was that <em>thing<em>?" Robyn asked as Casey walked back into his living room.

He had brought her to his apartment. What else could he have done? He surely couldn't have taken her to the turtle's place.

"It was-"

Casey stopped. If he told her, even discretely, that it was more than an animal, she'd demand to know why he didn't tell local authorities, and that was a whole bunch of publicity his friends didn't need.

"I don't know."

"It was a monster."

The hard headed vigilante bit his lip to keep from saying something unwelcome. He didn't like anyone calling his friends monsters, because they weren't! Maybe Robyn could know about them. April did and-

No.

Somehow he heard a voice in his head that sounded strangely like Splinter.

There was no proof that she could be trusted, even if she was related to April and if it wasn't obvious before, it was pretty clear now that April had never mentioned them to her sister.

"So, was April older or-?"

"Believe it or not she's actually younger than me," Robyn said, her green eyes that matched the now deceased red head's own, filled with cursed to fall tears.

"My little sister went before me."

Strangely, this was too close to multiple times before for Casey when he watched his best friend worry for his own brothers. Like that time some idiot gang member had thrown down a bunch of metal crates from on top of a building. It had been one of the turtles' normal patrols when they found themselves fighting a gang in an alleyway. The 'idiot' had been on top of one of the side buildings and targeted Mikey. When the sharp parcels went under the influence of gravity they landed on their target, splitting open his head.

Thank goodness for Dr. Don.

Raphael had been…what was the word? Crazed?

It took five arguments with Leo, twelve sleeping pills discretely slipped into his food and a large whack to the back of his head from Casey's hockey stick before Raph fell asleep. Needless to say, the red masked turtle had quite the admirable amount of endurance when it came to his anger and worry mode.

Before Casey could comprehend anything else, he had his arms full with a sobbing red head, her closed green eyes leaking tears. He comforted her for a minute. April had never been THIS emotional. Letting out a shaky laugh, Casey offered to get Robyn some water. When he set foot in the kitchen though he came face to face with-

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><p>They scoured the bottom of the bay, the wreckage of the ship, the surrounding ships, the edges of the bay and the nearby warehouses.<p>

Nothing.

They could find nothing. When black vans started pulling towards the bay, surprisingly, it was Raph that had to pull Leo out of and away from the bay. They were currently sitting against the side of the one warehouse where Raphael had flung his backpack. He kept his eyes on the boats and helicopters moving around the bay.

There was nothing they could do.

It was if someone had placed a ten ton pillar of stone and pinned his heart down. It scared him that much. His breaths grew heavy but he struggled until he had some form of control over his lungs. Then, he heard the chattering of teeth and someone else's harsh breaths. Raph turned to find his older blur banded brother heaving for air and shivering, as the result of the cold water on his reptilian skin in the winter air.

"Shell," Raph cursed as he placed his hand on Leo's shoulder.

His older brother didn't flinch or look up at him. Then Leo's arms went still and he could feel his body begin to cool as he slumped forward, his eyes closing in preparation of a long winter hibernation.

So in Mikey's definition a very, very, very, very, very BAD! Situation.

The young turtle turned to find his backpack, out came the blanket, which Raph quickly draped over his brother. It wasn't much and would actually be worse when it soaked up enough water and snow, but it could at least do something.

"Leo?" Raph asked, shaking the blanket covered shoulder.

The blue masked turtle just stared at the ground, making an attempt to move his frozen lips to form some kind of sound. The red masked turtle turned back to his back pack and his hand hit his old thermos that had been buried in a small pile of gravel, which was free of snow thanks to a slight overhanging roof on top of the warehouse.

It was still slightly warm. Oh shell, anything to help!

Leo wouldn't take it. He couldn't move enough to take it. He had to have been in the water for a lot longer, given that Raphael's skin was beginning to dry already and despite his reptilian nature, found it easy to move around. Aggravated, Raph unscrewed the top and held it under Leo's hands, which started moving when the steam began to warm up his blood. The other green hands grabbed the drink and raised it to a parched tongue and throat.

Finally, he was drinking it! Raph sighed and leaned back against the war house external wall again, his eyes on his brother and his ears on the emergency vehicles surrounding the bay. They couldn't stay here.

"We gotta go," Raph said stoutly before frowning in concern, "Can you walk?"

The blue banded turtle held the thermos close before getting his feet beneath him and standing up. Raphael followed suit, grabbing his backpack up, wishing he had thought to bring a coat. The temperature wasn't really that cold. Well, not as cold as it _could_ be, and not to use it as an excuse or anything but his coat had been _borrowed _by a certain someone, _Casey_, and never returned.

"Master Splinter," Leo gasped as he stumbled.

Raph grabbed Leo's arm and promptly threw it over his shoulders, "Tell me everything…when we get home. You ain't in any shape to do anything right now."

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><p>Mikey yawned and slipped out of his bed, groaning at the sight of his clock displaying the numbers of a too early morning.<p>

_3:22am_

Despite the time, Mikey made his way into the kitchen where he stopped at the sight of a note on the table, not to mention, the light was still on. Odd.

Scooping it up and quickly scanning it, a smile fell over the youngest turtle's face.

_Mikey_

_Went out for some 'Christmas shopping.' I won't be long._

_Don_

Maybe Donny was coming back to himself. There was still an emptiness in them all since April's death in Central America, but they could only blame that on Dr. Malkin, given he was the one to steal the Nightwatcher suit and the on to use the chain to strangle April. Shaking off the thoughts, since thoughts of the dead only held one back during this time, Mikey made his way over to the fridge and got out their newest gallon of milk, the last one had went bad, and turned to pull out a box of cereal. It wasn't that he was now afraid of cooking because of the incident the day before, but their stove wasn't exactly in working condition any longer. The old thing had simply gotten too old and sparked, which started the fire that had attempted to eat them and their kitchen.

Before Mikey could think to look for a spoon he heard the familiar sound of the sewer door sliding open. He gasped, smiled and quickly put the box of Fruit Loops and gallon of milk down on the table. Don was back and-

"MIKEY! DON!"

That didn't sound good. Mikey shot into the main room at a turtle speed a cheetah would find competitive.

The youngest turtle's jaw fell nearly to the ground, "LEO?"

"Turn the heat up will ya? His skin's turning blue!"

Mikey had just turned to do just that when-

"Raph behi-"

And that was all the red banded turtle heard as both the older turtles laid flat on the floor, unconscious. The bodies of the two were pulled out as Foot ninja stormed in. Mikey took out his nunchucks but then looked to find he had only grabbed thin air.

They were still in his room where he had taken them off to go to sleep!

"Dishonorable Beasts!" another voice shouted after the orange banded turtle had backed up in fear for a few steps.

Needless to mention, the sudden landing of Karai and about fifty other Foot ninja in front of him nearly sent Michelangelo's brain into a different dimension. There was no way this was happening!

The _Foot _was protecting _him _from the _Foot_?

Ugh, he suddenly had a headache too!

"Donatello!" Karai shouted and the purple clad turtle leapt over the group of Foot ninja crowding the door and landed by Mikey's side.

"Don what's-"

Unfortunately, he didn't get to finish his sentence as the Defending Foot ninja tore into the Attacking Foot, if that made any sense.

"We have to go!" Don shouted, dragging Mikey through the sea of black.

"But Raph and Leo-"

"Are outside with Casey, they're fine! We have to leave New York!"

"But why? Why are the Foot attacking each other? What happened to your Christmas shopping? What's going on!"

"I'll explain later!" Don shouted back harshly as they tore into the tunnel and made their way to the surface.

They ascended into a nearby alley where the old ancient truck they had found at the Farmhouse sat with a roaring engine. Not very ninja-like. Casey stood beside the truck, but jumped slightly when he saw them. He motioned quickly to the truck bed where Leo and Raph were laying, still unconscious, underneath a large tarp. They got the hint and dove underneath just as an explosion rocked the ground beneath them. A head turned around from the passenger seat and Don and Mikey ducked down under the trap to hide themselves. They lady almost shocked them to death.

Did they dare hope?

"What was that shock? Is there an earthquake?" the red head asked rapidly.

Casey tried to keep himself cool as he got into the driver's side, "No Robyn, just some work at the construction yard. Ya know how they are, always using explosives."

The woman, who was clearly now not their friend April O'Neil, nodded nervously and sat back, staring at the windshield solemnly as glanced down and turned off the CD player she had been given. (A/N: Who says Casey isn't smart?)

Fortunately, Robyn O'Neil had mastered lip reading long ago, since she'd had experience working with those who were adapting to being mute back in her home town.

In the truck bed, there was a groan. Casey quickly turned on the radio, hoping it would give his friends some noise to talk under.

"So where are we going?"

"Just where I promised. The old farm house."

Robyn smiled, she remembered all the times she had spent there with her sister, stealing the leftover cookie dough from when their grandmother made her famous, at least famous to them, chocolate and banana, sugar sprinkled cookies. (A/N: Theses cookies are actually very good, you should try them.) The there were the swims in the lake, the cows, the horses, even the little black, white, gray and pink pigs.

So many memories.

* * *

><p>Back out in the back of the truck, Raph raised up from his previously unconscious state before a hand landed on his arm. He glanced up to meet Don's eyes.<p>

"Don."

"Shh," the purple clad turtle said, a finger over his mouth to signify the silence he wanted.

"The others?"

Don pointed across the truck bed. Where they had raised up a bit, it had let a little moonlight shine in. Raph successfully spotted Mikey and Leo, both soundly asleep across from him and Don. The youngest turtle had the eldest turtle's arm caught in a deadlock hold. He wouldn't be getting that arm back for a while.

"Down," Don whispered.

Raph obeyed the simple order and whispered in the dark as the tarp blocked out the bright moonlight.

"What happened?"

"I'll tell you when we get to the farm house."

"Mikey screamed and I saw an explosion-"

"Foot ninja snuck up behind you and knocked you out. Mikey was trying to warn you. The explosion was a flash bomb. You can see fine though, right?"

"Yeah. I'm fine. I just remembered him screaming. Wait, Leo was-"

"Don't worry," Don said reassuringly, "We found an old blanket in the back of this ancient thing."

Raph took a deep breath of relief, "Master Splinter."

"Leo told us."

"He was awake? Was he speaking normally?"

"Look Mr. One-Thousand-Worries, we're in the back of a beat up old farm truck driving across different states. We'll discuss all the important facts once we reach the farm house. Try to get some sleep too."

With that final statement, Don yawned and laid his head down onto something soft, "Oh, here, you still had your backpack on when we left."

Raph was handed over the small cloth and his non-existent eye brows shot up when a cube shaped package landed on his lap from one of the open pockets. He listened and sure enough, there were Don's quick mathematical and scientific mumbles. Raph sat up, pushed the tarp up so the tiniest amount of light came underneath the tarp., and held up the package. It was a present?

He took note of the orange bow. He smiled, Mikey.

Only the happy go lucky numbskull would think of presents now. Despite his shaking head, Raph had a smile on his face. He quickly took the small bow off, stowing it away in his backpack. He wasn't one to open presents neatly, that was Splinter's habit alone, but he could make too much noise and wake the others. So very quietly and very neatly, he slipped a small red box out of the wrapping paper, setting the Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer wrappings aside, and silently threw back the box's lid.

Something shifted after the truck went over a sudden speed bump. Raph glanced at his brothers. All still asleep. He reached behind the white paper the hid the item from view and out came a-

Raph couldn't even think the word he wanted to. Mouth open, he stared across at the sleep Mikey, still holding on to Leo's arm as if some current would drag him away from them. He raised the tarp a bit more, this time, not caring about discreteness and saw the matching objects hooked onto Mikey's belt.

Three little felt turtles hanging from a small chain and a felt rat. There was no question about Mikey artistic side, but this was. Kind of, childish, given how old they were, but the remaining harsh demeanor in Raphael's mind melted when the truck went over another speed bump. Mikey flinched in his sleep, moved closer to Leo, and his foot stretched out until it touched Raph's leg. The orange banded turtle smiled in his sleep and sighed.

Raph sighed and smiled before glancing back down at the felt turtle in his hands. One that looked like Mikey nonetheless. A quick glance at the box again revealed two other felt turtles, modeled after Don and Leo and a felt Rat, no doubt modeled after their father. Raph's smile grew a bit larger when he put the felt turtle back in the box and he realized, as he pulled his hand away, that the white paper had fallen over them all, like a blanket.

He could not deny the cheesiness of this moment. Even if they were hidden under a tarp that smelled like dirt and mold, heading out of state because of who knows what? They were together. Raph closed the box, slipped it inside his backpack, zipped the pocket he had put it in up, laid the tarp down flat again and fell asleep, despite sleeping on a metal pillow.

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><p>Across the truck bed, Mikey whimpered under his breath in his sleep. That same image was repeating itself in his mind. As they had pulled away from that alley, he had glanced out and up. In the distance, he had spotted a white lab coat flapping in the wind.<p>

_Dr. Malkin._

He wasn't sure if that was the most shocking thing or if it had been when he noticed a shadow drenched figure at the back of the alley. Don gave a signal with his hand and out stepped one of the worst nightmares.

_The Shredder._

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><p>Yes! I went there! The SHREDDER RETURNS! How? What's his motive? What happened with Don? Where did Splinter go? What's with the Foot fighting themselves? How is that ancient truck still running? Why did they let the milk go bad? Why am I asking you all these questions?<p>

I Don't Know! (Which will be the next and last story of this series. Which unfortunately I have to push back until late October. I'm changing schools again and I'm unfamiliar with the workload.)

Whew. Time for dinner. Sorry, but that's all I have time for right now. Tune in Friday for the final chapter. Or at least I'll try to get it out Friday which is three days from now.

Review please?

Seriously, I'm getting better feedback on DA!

~Moonsetta


	7. Chapter 6 A Felt Christmas

OK, you'll recognize this first scene.

I don't own TMNT.

IT'S THE FINALE!

Now just to tie up the loose ends and in advance, I'm sorry for what I did to Splinter but he'll play a big role in the final story and I know that the whole CaseyXRobyn romance is barely there. I'm sorry! But I don't like romance! And NO, Robyn does not know the turtles! Maybe she will in the future, but I doubt it.

You know what, I'll leave that up to you guys. Your choice

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><p>Thunder shook the windows of the old farmhouse that time had forgotten, while lightning flashed across its windowed eyes. The fire place burned bright against the dark air surrounding it and a lone figure sat in the corner, a book in his lap though he could hardly see the words on either of the open pages with the little light that the burning wood gave off.<p>

_Creak._

Casey glanced up as a splash of red entered his vision, "Hey Raph? The others ok?"

The red banded turtle stepped into the light, the flames throwing shadows across his dark green skin, "Yeah, everyone's good. Leo's meditating so he may as well be asleep, what a boring roommate."

Raph's golden eyes lingered over the remainder of the burnt skin that decorated a scar on the left side of his best human friend's face and shuddered away the memories. He forced his eyes to look to the side but then his breath slightly caught as he spotted the figure laying on the ragged couch they had set up a few weeks ago.

"Our patient doing well?" Raph asked, walking over to the sleeping figure.

Casey followed his turtle friend's line of sight and smiled, "Yeah. Just fine."

This was one thing that Raph found hard. It was like he had to gather all his pride, which was easy, and then balance it all on a pedestal 30,000 feet in the air that was as thick as a single sewing needle. Needless to say, before he could even reach out, he found himself back on the stairs and already half way up.

He hesitated for a second, and gave in. He turned and looked back at the woman on the couch, her hair red, matching the fire's flames and he knew her green eyes, he had seen them so many times before.

"April," he whispered, before turning away and climbing the stairs again.

He passed a second floor window when his eyes caught something outside. Oh, it was just a squirrel. Thank goodness. They had already run away from New York because of the Foot and now they were one brother short…

The red clad turtle shook his head, ridding his mind of the image of the exploding fire that had once been their home and his little brother's scream…

He closed his eyes and didn't open them again until he was back inside his room.

Unbeknownst to them, outside, in the back of the pick-up truck that Casey had drove out there, another familiar red masked being grinned in the dim moonlight, his red mask dripped with droplets of blue and an orange mask curled around his fist.

One down…three to kill.

Well Malkin, we'll see.

* * *

><p>"How is she?" Leo asked, coming out of his meditation as Raphael entered the attic where the four turtles would be sleeping for the night.<p>

Raph waved his hand in the air dismissively, "She's fine. Where are they at?"

Leo nudged his head towards the window, saying a single word, "Rooftop."

Raph nodded and walked across the room to poke his out the window. A slight turn of his head made his eyes rest on the two turtles sitting on the edge of the rooftop. Neither of them were saying anything.

"Hey bros, not to play Fearless Leader or anything, but you two could catch colds out here. Get back in this house!"

Strangely, the two rooftop sitters did as they were told, slipping back in through the window. Mikey shivered as he stepped back inside and Raph put out a hand on his shoulder to steady him.

"You ok?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Now, who's bright idea was it to sit outside in the middle of a storm!" Raph whispered harshly, a way to raise his voice without risking waking up Robyn downstairs.

"Sorry," Don muttered.

Leo opened his eyes from his meditation, completely abandoning the thought of it for the night and spoke up, "Casey's asleep."

"How do you know?" Mikey asked.

Leo held up a hand for silence and the room fell quiet.

Snores came from downstairs, floating up into the rafters of the attic ceiling.

"Oh, OK."

"Come on, sit down, we have many things to share."

Mikey walked over immediately. When Leo noticed the shivering coming from his youngest brother, he turned and pulled a blanket off of the closest bed, quickly draping it over Mikey's shoulders. The orange banded turtle smiled in thanks and then glanced at Raph and Don. Raphael turned and closed the window. Idiots going outside during this winter storm and then leaving the window open! He took a deep breath and then turned to the sitting turtles.

"Any luck?" he asked, half looking away at an empty spider web in the nearest corner of the ceiling.

Leo's eyes fell, "I haven't been able to reach him."

Luckily, Raph had made a short half-step backwards, so his flying fist hit the wall instead of the window. Hopefully that hadn't woken anyone up.

"Shell. I knew I should've gone with you."

"No," Leo said stoutly.

"We all should've gone," Mikey said, feeling too run down to throw a glance anywhere other than the floor.

Raph's glare turned to Leo, who nodded his head in acceptance, although he wouldn't have wished his brothers be caught in that fire under any circumstances. Perhaps he should've picked a different ship to return home on-

"NO! STOP!" Leo yelled at himself in his head.

It was done. He couldn't go back and change anything. All that mattered right now _was _right now. They would find their father. Done breathing out his anger, Raph joined the growing group of turtles. They all looked to Don, who had been quiet.

"Donatello, please join us," Leo requested.

Don just kept staring at the floor, he didn't want to meet any of their eyes. Leo. He was sure he would never come back. That he had really left them for good. He had did it before. So what made him come back this time?

"Don, we need some answers," Raph said, clearer than he had ever said anything, "First we come home to a Foot invasion, then you appear with more Foot, then Mikey said he saw-"

"Shredder," Don said, finishing his sentence for him.

Raph hated when people did that. The only thing that was worse was when they started them for you too. It was starting to become a pet peeve.

"Mind explaining?" the blue masked turtle asked quietly, nearly whispering it.

His voice. It made something spark. Don's fury, that had been recently quieted by a caring little brother and the necessity of ensuring that his family was safe, was returning.

Here was Leo.

So, what happened now?

The purple clad turtle walked over to the group, and sat down, opposite from their once long gone brother. Finally, he raised his eyes to meet Raph's and Leo's, given Mikey's were still on the floor, he was obviously tired.

"Donatello," Leo growled, narrowing his eyes at his younger brother.

Don growled himself and lowered his eyes again. He would NOT speak.

"Don," Raph said, throwing his own growl into the mess of sounds, "You better start talking."

A hand on his shoulder made the red masked turtle redirect his gaze at his blue masked brother.

"They're both obviously tired. Mikey, Don, go to sleep. We'll talk in the morning."

Mikey gratefully nodded his head and slumped-crawled to his bed, falling asleep about two inches from his head hitting his pillow. Don walked like a robot until he was sleeping strait on his back, eyelids closed but obviously glaring at the ceiling of the warm attic behind them.

"Didn't you want answers?" Raph asked, as Leo got up and walked over to Mikey.

"I'll get them in the morning," the eldest said with a shrug.

A quick glance to Raph and then to Mikey from the leader had the red banded turtle getting up, walking over and scooping up his little brother while Leo pulled back the blankets. After making sure both Donatello and Michelangelo were asleep. Leo motioned to the corner of the attic, where the red and blue banded turtles sat down.

Leonardo returned to his meditation stance, "Come on, we'll try to reach him together."

Raph bit back a sigh, he wasn't good at this spirit stuff. He hated meditating, although-He glanced quickly out the window, watching lightning dance across the dark sky. It was something comforting to him. Some kids were scared of storms. Maybe he had been once, but he knew they didn't fill him with fear now. Leo opened his eyes from his meditation and followed Raph's gaze to the sky outside the window.

"There's no moon," Raph whispered, wondering why the heck that was important or why he had pointed that out in the first place.

Whether his older brother was humoring him or was true in his actions, Leo redirected his eyes where the moon was supposed to be and said, "You're right."

The eldest waited a for seconds before closing his eyes again, going over what had happened and what could be done to prevent history from repeating itself, he was also convincing himself that nothing could be changed, so he couldn't dwell on the past. He had just recently gotten that out of his system during his training in Central America.

It was the one thing humans, and even the mutants in their own family couldn't seem to accept.

The past was the past.

It was there. You couldn't take back an action you had already completed. You had to accept whatever happened and move on. His brother was struggling with that.

Well…

Don would come around.

After all, he had before.

Hours of meditation lead to nothing for either of the two still conscious turtles, so with a half relieved and half irritated sigh, Leo went to bed, but Raph found himself still staring out at the storm, although it was much lighter in intensity than it had been before, his amber eyes searching for the thin line that circled the great stone body of the moon. It only took about three more minutes before the rain reduced its beats to a simple _tap tap_ every three seconds. The grey clouds thinned and the moon pushed its way through the slight darkness, continuing to reflect the light it was receiving from the sun.

Raph closed his eyes, maybe he should go to sleep, he obviously wasn't getting anywhere as of right now. Before he could move though, a quiet mumbling made him focus on his orange banded brother, who was rising up from his own bed. Hidden in the shadows, Raphael watched with curiosity and worry when Mikey grabbed at the felt turtles and felt rat that hung from his own leather belt. Hm, that box was still in his bag. As Mikey looked around, never noticing the red banded turtle on the far side of the room, Raph wondered if his baby brother had made similar gifts for Don, Leo and Splinter.

He shivered slightly, glad that Mikey now had his back to him. He would've noticed that. They hadn't found their father among the wreckage of that ship, so where was he?

Raph's thoughts were knocked out of his head when a large clap of leftover thunder from the storm woke them all up as it shook the house.

"Is that storm gone yet?" Don asked, irritated at being woken up.

Now he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep.

"Mikey, Raph, why are you two still up?" Leo asked.

"Still trying," Raph said, "And I ain't tired."

Leo accepted the answer a little hesitantly, after all, _everyone _needed sleep to live and since he had been gone for sometime, he wasn't sure if some form of insomnia had claimed the others recently.

"Mikey?"

The orange masked turtle shifted his feet slightly. They all knew that signal.

Something was wrong.

The eldest patted a spot on his bed and Mikey claimed it quickly.

"What's wrong?" the blue banded turtle asked, making his voice lighter and softer than it usually was.

Don growled/hissed under his breath and glanced out the window, it was only cloudy and he could find his way in the dark quite easily. Fully determined, he got out of bed, went to the window and climbed back out onto the roof. He needed to think. Think through this anger.

He wasn't expecting Leo to follow him but he grew stiff when he heard someone else walk up behind him.

"Chill Brainiac, Fearless is busy talking to Mike."

Don breathed half a sigh of relief when Raph sat down beside him, both of them letting their legs dangle slightly off of the side.

"So?" Don asked slowly.

"Talk," Raph ordered, "Before we lose you."

"I'm angry."

"Really?" the red banded turtle asked sarcastically, raising an imaginary eyebrow.

Don glared at him in return, "I just feel-"

"Like you want to run up, hug him, ask why he left us again, then promptly throw him across the room."

Don's shocked face was all Raph needed to see. He smirked at that expression until the purple clad turtle's face fell into a frown.

"I don't want to be angry."

"No one does Donny. Not even me."

"I thought you liked being angry."

Raph shrugged and leaned back, staring up at the stars that were beginning to peak their way out of the dark gray clouds, "Well when I'm angry I can never know if I am happy, because of the simple fact, that I'm already angry. So I can't tell you. You're asking the wrong turtle."

Silence. A long silence.

Raph sighed and sat up again, turning his determined eyes on his brother, "Look Don, I wish I could tell you all the right words that would make all this go away, but there aren't any. I wish I could tell you what to do, but I don't recommend it."

"Do what?"

"Don, I nearly killed Leo, that was the thing that snapped me back into my senses, and if you and Leo do the same stupid things, I hope you're a lot smarter than I was. Don't be me when it comes to _this _Don. Don't be the cowards that he and I both were. "

With no words remaining in his head, Raphael slipped back inside the attic, shaking off the few droplets of water that had covered him on the way.

"Mikey?"

His eyes widened when he looked up. Leo was still in his bed, hunched over, his hands curled into fists and shaking. Mikey had a hand on his shoulder, though the look the youngest turtle wore was one of anger, not sympathetic care.

"What's going on?"

Mikey and Leo spoke one word in unison:

"_Malkin_."

"What do you mean? He's long gone," Raph said, crossing his arms over his plastron, his posture and stare that all girls, if they liked mutant turtles, would fall for.

"He's taken control of the Foot from Karai. Tatsu returned and the Shredder's back," Don said, finishing up the missing information as he slipped back through the window.

"He's supposed to be dead," Mikey said, "I shot him, I fought him, I burned his body! He should be dead!"

Leo gulped in the storm sprinkled air and looked up to rest a hand on Mikey's slightly shaking shoulder, "We'll be OK Mikey."

"I hope so Leo."

"We should ALL go to sleep," Leo said, longingly staring out the window which Don was leaning against until he caught the stare and went back to his own bed.

"I-I, I'm going to go for a walk," Mikey said, "I can't sleep, not now."

"You're not going alone," Leo said with a glare.

"I'll be careful," Mikey pleaded.

"I'll go with him Leo," Raph volunteered, "I don't know what it is about today, I just ain't tired."

"But-"

Raph's glare cut off Leo's rant and the hot headed turtle tilted his head towards the pretending-to-be-sleeping Donatello. The eldest's face showed surprise, but then melted into understanding and he nodded.

When both Raph and Mikey had climbed out the window and disappeared into the black woods, the blue banded turtle felt a needle in his heart. Letting them out of his sight now was…

He didn't even want to think it!

But then, there was another reason they had left. Leo's eyes trailed over to his still-pretending-to-be-sleeping younger brother.

"Donny?"

"Got to sleep Leo."

The eldest's eyes drew together in a 'fearless leader glare' but before he could speak his mind Donatello interrupted.

"You don't talk to me tonight and I'll tell you everything in the morning. OK?"

He didn't have to answer. Things just weren't peachy-keen. Half depressed and half tired, Leo turned onto his side and promptly fell asleep.

Ten minutes into the silence, Don opened his eyes and got to his feet, silently padding his way over to his brother's bedside. He stared down at the sleeping turtle and then reached into his belt, pulling out a small wrapped sheet of thick papers. He slid them under the pillow and then returned to his own bed. Maybe the letters would help clear things up.

Maybe.

For Donny, it wasn't but two minutes later, when a pair of three fingered, green hands wrapped themselves around his throat and a rag dusted with hay and gasoline was jammed into his open and gasping mouth.

(A/N: *Cue Donatello fans: NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MY DONNY? )

Don's eyes stared into a pair of golden amber, surrounded by a red mask of the purest crimson. His gaze drifted to the side for just a moment, seeking out his brother for help, but the bed was empty and a puddle of blood was laying where Leo had been. There was a trail of it leading to the door.

Leo had run, or at least dragged himself out.

The purple clad turtle's eyes returned to the golden ones as dark spots appeared before his eyes. His vision swam in blackness and he heard a scream downstairs. He couldn't breath, he couldn't smell, he couldn't see, the hay and gasoline had numbed his taste buds so he could no longer taste them on the cloth and of course he couldn't see.

He still felt though. Felt the rag in his mouth, felt the hands on his throat, felt his insides collapsing.

And among it all was the smell of blood, heat, metal and herbal tea.

* * *

><p>*Stops narration and looks over at random Donatello fan having a heart attack*<p>

Excuse me for a minute. CLEAR!

Beeeeeeeeeepppppp.

CLEAR!

Beeeeeeeeeeeepppppppp.

CLEAR!

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Sorry, but I've killed Leo enough, I nearly killed Raph in It's Not OK

I'm really truly sorry, but Don's the only turtle I haven't killed.

Now, back to the story.

* * *

><p>"I'm not scared," Mikey said as his older brother slipped an arm over his shoulders.<p>

"This is for me knucklehead, cause I sure am," Raph responded, his eyes fixated on the ground.

"Why Isn't he dead?" Mikey spat suddenly, stopping his walk, "I shot him multiple times, shot him multiple times again, broke his skull open and burned his body. Why isn't he dead!

"I don't know Mikey. Why aren't we dead?"

Mikey forced a fake-humorous-smile, "Because we're super awesome turtle super heroes?"

Raph found his own smile for a moment and then gestured back the way that they had come into the forest.

"Yeah, I want to go home. Where do you think Master Splinter is?"

"I wish I knew Mikey."

* * *

><p>The instant the knife swooped down, the world ended for every creature in the room.<p>

Mikey and Raph were frozen by the window, they had just stepped through it. Leo was hanging onto the doorknob of the door that lead downstairs with his leg ripped open from knee to ankle. Casey was in the middle of the room, his hands wrapped around a baseball bat, his hockey mask down, no shoes and a strange, half eaten carrot on top of his head.

There was blood, a rag, bits of hay on the ground and bed, a gasoline can tipped over on the floor and Don's eyes were staring up where he laid still on his bed.

* * *

><p>NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!<p>

*Looks over to panicking readers and smirks.*

* * *

><p>Above him was <em>Malkin<em>. One of the one the mad turtle's hands was laying gently on Don's throat and the other was below, haning just above the gas can.

Beside the bed were two unfamiliar gasps of deep breath as a knife flashed in the rich moonlight that lolled into the room like beach waves across undisturbed sand through the window. Red hair waved gently in a nonexistent warm breeze.

She held the butcher knife with leather glove covered hands as her green eyes wavered with her accelerated heartbeat. Skin Barbie doll pale white she backed up with a sickening sound of ripping flesh. She glanced down at blood and fell back.

Don blinked and lost control of his body. He pushed the mad turtle off the opposite side of the bed and chose to stare down at the red haired woman.

"She isn't April," he had to tell himself out loud.

She sat up and glanced up at the creature's life she had saved. She kept her shocked expression, she didn't smile.

"I'm Robyn. Robyn O'Neil."

Whereupon promptly, she passed out.

* * *

><p>When the red head reopened her eyes she found herself back on the couch, catching sight of the morning sunrise coming in through the windows of the farmhouse living room.<p>

"Hey, finally, you're up."

She turned her head to see Casey standing beside the couch.

She set a hand on her head, "I had the weirdest dream."

"Eh, that happens to me a lot, especially around this place. They say its haunted."

"My farmhouse isn't haunted."

"Yours?"

"Yes mine. As the remaining O'Neil sister I inherit it."

Casey shook his head then offered her his hand with a small smile, "Come on, let's head back to New York."

Robyn nodded and took the proffered hand, "Definitely."

* * *

><p>He heard the truck drive off and turned to his red masked brother, "Your turn bro."<p>

"What do you want Fearless?"

"Where do we go?" Don asked as the turtles came out from the forest trees and headed towards the farmhouse.

"Far away hopefully," Mikey said, glancing back into the forest.

"His ashes are sealed in a flooded underwater chamber Mikey. He isn't getting out, no matter what deal he makes with what devil," Don said, in an attempt to reassure his younger brother that Malkin wasn't coming back and that he had gotten over last night's fright.

"You're the one that reached him Raph," Leo said as the group reached the porch.

Raph sighed and crossed his arm, "Albany."

"What?" Mikey asked.

"Albany," Raph said again, "He's in Albany New York."

Leo motioned to the farmhouse.

Raph smirked, "Let's get ready to go bros. We're getting Master Splinter back!"

* * *

><p>Tangled fur slid into puddles on the sidewalk.<p>

Where was he?

How did he reach this place?

Who was he?

Someone shouted monster. He glanced down in the puddle.

The eyes of a giant, mutant rat stared back.

There were lights above him and people were shouting but he was not one of them. No. He remembered that he wasn't. Animal instinct kicked in and the rat ran and hid quickly in the nearest alley.

The lights and shouting people left hours later.

Where was he?

He didn't notice that blood was leaking from his skull.

* * *

><p>YES! I'M DONE WITH THIS STORY! YAY!<p>

Now, one story to finish and 6 to type up and post.

Read and review please!

Thank you!

~Moonsetta


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